Disappointed and Suprised

Each morning last week i had the pleasure of watching the Waxwing frequenting the Rupert Street area while walking to work, with up to 14 birds present. On Saturday morning (17th) however the birds had gone, and have not returned since. That was not the only disappointment of the day as a text from Gary alerted me to the juvenile Surf Scoter drifting west of Sheringham, being at work i couldn't get to the coast unit Monday. Getting home that evening i was aware of the Rose coloured Starling at Northrepps. Fast forward to Monday and both birds had gone, and with drizzly weather i ventured no further than to collect the broken feeders, demolished by a squirrel in the garden.

On Friday however after locking the front door to walk to work a Peregine flew over the house, no doubt one of the cathedrel birds, foraging further afield than normal. Walking to work on Saturday morning i got my second suprise of the week, i watched two Blue Tit poping in and out of a cavity in a wall, each time with food in their beaks, i assume feeding young! I then found a rather cold looking Angle Shade Moth on a fence, my second unseasonal sighting of the morning.

The UEA and Back Again

With Laura working again and a few days off work, for the first time in months i found myself with some free time. Yesterday's drizzle kept me in, but today i ventured out to the UEA a walk i haven't done in ages. Walking down to Eaton, i picked up a large tit flock on Unthank Road but the best bird was a Coal Tit (but there's 3 in the Garden), by the bridge at Cringleford i found a nice looking Grey Wagtail, and a Marsh Tit nearby. Walking the River towards the Uni a Kingfisher whizzed through, 2 Little Grebe bobbed about and 3 Grey Heron dotted the route. I also saw my first Otter on this stretch of the river and a stoat ran across the path. Disappointingly no Green Woodpecker or Mistle Thrush were on the paddocks and the feeders by the greenhouses have gone. A small flock of Siskin was my first group of the winter by the east end of The Broad. The Broad itself was devoid of waterfowl, a single Great Crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant and c15 Common Gull (not even a Mallard) were all i could see. Walking the woods and playing field i failed to add much else, but there's still quite a bit of interesting fungi around. Below is what i think is Blistered Cup growing on a heap of old hay bales the dumping area at the back of the playing field (James correct me if I'm wrong). Walking back via Colney Lane and Cringleford, i had a flock of c45 Redwing fly over, and completed my loop seeing the Grey Wagtail again.

Waxwings back in the GT!

Atleast 2 Waxwing are back in the Golden Triangle area of Norwich. On Monday and Tuesday two flew over Rupert Street on my way to work and on Wednesday i could hear what i think were Waxwing calling from a rear garden not far away. I'll have to keep my eyes open now walking to work, something to liven up the walk in on cold damp mornings.